


Nobody's Fault

by extraordinary



Series: Unusual Arrangements [6]
Category: Free!
Genre: (Homophobia), Angsty Reigisa, Established Relationship (Nanase Haruka/Matsuoka Rin), Fluffy Sharkbait, Future Harurinpics, M/M, Mentions Of Hazuki Nagisa/Ryugazaki Rei - On Again/Off Again Relationship, Queer Themes, Tiny Mention Of MakoGou
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-19
Updated: 2014-08-19
Packaged: 2018-02-13 21:52:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2166462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/extraordinary/pseuds/extraordinary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Nagisa shows up at their place late at night, carrying nothing more than a small backpack and two cans of mackerel he clearly picked up from the konbini around the corner on his way over, Haru doesn't ask what happened or why he's there. </p><p>Haruka/Rin & Nagisa friendship fic.</p><p>(Can be read as a stand-alone, but belongs to the Unusual Arrangements 'verse.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nobody's Fault

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so, here's the deal as usual:
> 
> x Terribly rocky on again/off again Reigisa relationship, due to hinted homophobic themes. ( = NOT REI OR NAGISA, obviously. But it affects their relationship a lot. Endgame is Reigisa eventually, but I can't guarantee this part ends happily for them. I'm sorry. X.x;)
> 
> x Established Sharkbait university years fluff~ sprinkled with a little angst. 
> 
> x If you've read the rest of my fics for this 'verse, you'll obviously be aware that this is pre-(platonic?)NagiHaruRin. That being said, you'd have to squint very hard to find any hints of it here. If you want to see it, it's there. If you don't want to see it, it's not there. Whatever floats your boat. xD
> 
> x Fencer-x helped me out a little bit of research concerning Japanese universities & apartment buildings, but honestly, while I now have a headcanon for which universities they're attending - I'm still pretty confused when it comes down to it (and Free! ES canon will certainly throw a wrench in things soon enough!). X.x; Please forgive any mistakes I made (including trains/travelling/etc)! They're all mine, I assure you. I'm ESL, and I haven't been to university myself so I'm also not 100% confident using terms like "campus" JSYK. If there's anything that really bothers you... please let me know, OK?
> 
> Enjoy! I tried a slightly different style for this one (and Present Tense! WHUT?). *sweat!*

The first time Nagisa shows up at their place late at night, carrying nothing more than a small backpack and two cans of mackerel he clearly picked up from the konbini around the corner on his way over, Haru doesn't ask what happened or why he's there. Rin let's it go, following Haru's lead and moving aside to let a sniffling Nagisa in.

  
Haru wordlessly leads Nagisa into Rin's unused bedroom. Rin watches him shake out the comforter to remove the thin layer of dust that had settled on it since the last time Makoto stayed over for a visit. Nagisa practically dives onto the bed as soon as Haru's finished with it, dropping his bag and the mackerel absent-mindedly on the carpeted floor, and immediately buries his face in the pillow.

   
None of them speak.

  
Rin leaves quietly when harsh sobs start wracking Nagisa's body, picking up the two tin cans from the floor and placing the backpack a little closer to the bed on his way out. He glances back at them before closing the door, just long enough to catch a  glimpse of Haru soothingly running his fingers through the mess of blond curls at the top of Nagisa's head.

  
When Haru joins him in bed nearly an hour later, Rin pulls him close and presses his nose into Haru's shoulder blades. "Is it serious?"

  
Haru is quiet for a moment. Rin waits for him to sort through his thoughts, pulling up the covers a little higher. Thankfully, Haru doesn't keep him waiting for long: "It's his parents. They want him to visit for New Year's."

  
Rin sucks in a breath. "Without Rei?"

  
"They had a fight over it." Haru whispers, placing his warm hands over Rin's where they're wrapped tightly around his chest. "Nagisa's going to stay here for a while."

  
"A bad one?" Rin asks reluctantly. It's hard to imagine those two genuinely fighting over something serious; Rin's only ever heard them arguing over Nagisa's unhealthy eating habits or his tendency to forget his homework before.

  
"They broke up." Haru reluctantly confides, rolling over in order to meet Rin's eyes in the dark.

  
Neither of them sleeps well that night.

  
Nagisa stays with them for five days before he returns to the university dormitory he shares with Rei. Rin isn't there to see him off, but Haru is smiling faintly when he informs him that their guest-room is empty again. Rin figures that's the end of it.

 

* * *

  
It isn't, of course.

  
A few days after Rin's birthday, Nagisa shows up again unexpectedly. He doesn't burst into tears as soon as he enters their apartment this time, but it's a close call. Rin busies himself with setting tea and digging into the cupboards for the package of prawn crackers he _knows_ is hiding in there somewhere. Nagisa likes those, doesn't he?

  
When he finally joins them on the sofa, Nagisa is drying his eyes with the corner of a sleeve. Rin wordlessly hands him the crackers, which unfortunately triggers a slew of fresh tears; but Haru is smiling tenderly at them so Rin doesn't feel guilty about it for long.

  
Nagisa only stays with them for one night this time. Rin catches him writing a rushed thank-you note in the kitchen while he's on his way out for an early morning run. Nagisa doesn't even bother to look embarrassed about getting caught sneaking out, instead he merely waits for Rin to put on his running shoes with a pensive look on his face. Rin pulls him in for a quick hug before pushing him out the door with a shove to the back of the shoulders.

  
They don't talk until they've made it all the way outside the building out of consideration for the neighbours. The both of them shiver as soon as the cold morning air hits them, but when they start walking Nagisa is suddenly smiling brightly up at him; enthusiastically talking Rin's ear off as if nothing's wrong at all. Rin reluctantly plays along, resolutely ignoring the dark circles under Nagisa's eyes.

  
He walks Nagisa to the train station, pulling him into another hug, a _proper_ one this time, when his train is about to arrive. Rin doesn't let go of a sniggering Nagisa until the very last second, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his track suit as he watches Nagisa board the train. Nagisa turns around to wave at him as soon as he's placed his bag down.

  
Rin stays there until the train is completely out of sight, his breath creating little puffs of white fog in front of his nose each time he exhales, belatedly realising it's not heading in the direction of Nagisa's dormitory at all.

  
Nagisa must not be going back to Rei this time.

 

* * *

  
They don't see Nagisa again until summer is upon them and they're all crowded around a table at Haru's favourite seafood restaurant in the middle of Tokyo. This time their guest-room is occupied by Makoto, who didn't show up in the middle of the night and certainly hasn't been crying into what is technically still Rin's pillow. He did bring a rather large present along, however.

  
Haru sits at the head of the table with a small smile on his face. He's wearing a paper crown on his head with the number '20' hastily scrawled on by the restaurant owner when she'd overheard their group singing _Happy Birthday_ \- Haru had quickly become a favoured regular here, after all. (It wasn't that they came here _that_ often, but Haru had left quite the impression on them by religiously ordering the very same dish every time they ate here. The owner and staff had quickly become fond of Haru's mackerel obsession. Rin couldn't blame them.)

  
In hindsight, Rin had been rather surprised when Nagisa and Rei showed up together. He had called them both separately to arrange this meeting a few weeks ago, and neither of them had mentioned bringing each other along. Not that it's any of Rin's business, really.

  
His main priority tonight is Haru.

  
Haru, whose eyes are sparkling at him while Rin tries not to be too obvious about the way he's running his hand up and down Haru's thigh underneath the tablecloth. He looks exceptionally handsome tonight in a light blue cable-knit sweater and Rin can't keep his eyes off of him.

  
Makoto nudges him as the waitress arrives to take their orders. Rin can feel the tips of his ears burn, but he forces himself to keep his hand where it is. He's sitting on Haru's right side, with an amused Makoto next to him (and a knowingly grinning Nagisa across from him). Rei is sitting across from Makoto, his nose buried deep in the menu as he studiously ignores all of their antics. The empty chair at the other end of the table is currently being used to hold all of the presents they brought along for Haru. Unfortunately Gou couldn't make it tonight, but she promised to make it up to them as soon as she could (and loudly demanded for pictures to be send her way in the same breath).

  
"What'll it be tonight?" She chirps, automatically writing down Haru's order before anyone had even spoken. Haru shoots her a pleased little smile while everyone places their orders.

  
"Haruka-senpai," Rei starts, gathering up all of the menus and handing them to the waitress once they've all finished ordering. She nods gratefully at him before retreating to the kitchen to relay their orders to the chef. "How are you and Rin-san finding the new soy-based energy bars I recommended?"

  
Nagisa groans loudly. "Rei-chan! People will start to think you're getting paid to promote those, or something."

  
"Their nutritional value is unparalleled---"

  
"They taste good, Rei." Haru intercepts easily. "Rin nearly ate the entire box by himself within a week. We're going to have to go buy more soon."

  
"That wasn't me!" Rin interrupts, squeezing Haru's thigh in complaint. "Takahashi keeps stealing them from my bag, I swear. That guy is nothing but trouble."

  
"That first year?" Makoto asks as laughter breaks out across their table. "You've been mentioning him a lot! He must really be a handful if you can't handle him, Rin."

  
Rin does not pout, but he does kick Nagisa under the table when the brat loudly reminds everyone that _RinRin_ is a big softie despite his scary teeth. Makoto places a  placating hand on Rin's shoulder and apologises for his earlier comment, assuring Rin he'd only been joking. Rin rolls his eyes at him.

  
"Rin-san was the captain of the Samezuka swim team for a year, after all." Rei confidently talks over Nagisa's laughter. "I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the energy bars. That company really does make the most affordable recovery snacks on the market."

  
"Thank you, Rei." Rin growls, gratefully accepting the proverbial rope Rei is throwing him. "We usually just eat what's available from the vending machines and the food court. My coach doesn't really focus on nutrition as much as I'd like, and you know what Haru's like..."

  
They settle into easy conversation while they wait for their food to arrive. Rin keeps a hand on Haru's thigh the whole time, only removing it momentarily to accept his dish from the waitress or to take a sip of his drink. If anyone thinks it's strange that he's only using one hand throughout most of the evening they don't mention  it. (He only gets away with it because they're at a Japanese style restaurant; Rin has never appreciated getting to use a pair of chopsticks more than he does right now.)

  
By some unspoken agreement nobody mentions Nagisa's unannounced visits to Haru and Rin's apartment during the winter, either.

  
"Haru-chan! It's time for presents!" Nagisa enthusiastically announces once their plates have been cleared and they've all ordered new drinks. "Open mine first, OK?"

  
Rin finally removes his hand from Haru's leg to bring out the camera he borrowed from Gou for the occasion. He's just in time to capture Rei hiding his face in his hands _and_ the surprised widening of Haru's eyes as he opens Nagisa's present to reveal a boxed set of scented massage oils.

  
"Happy birthday, Haru-chan!"

  
"Haruka-senpai!" Rei despairs. "Please put those back in the bag! Nagisa-kun, why didn't you warn him that the present might be inappropriate for the dinner table?!"

  
Haru just laughs and holds the box out to Rin. "I think I'll give these to you for save keeping."

  
Nagisa whoops loudly in triumph when Haru thanks him for the thoughtful present. Then he turns on a flustered Rei: "But, Rei-chan, they weren't inappropriate until Haru-chan passed them to Rin-chan!"

  
Rin desperately tries to ignore the way his ears are burning for the second time that evening.

  
"Let's move on to the next present." Makoto helpfully interjects. There's a bit of a scuffle as he reaches for the largest present on the chair - Rei and Nagisa have to help him pass it safely over their drinks to a curious looking Haru while Rin takes a picture. "Here's mine, Haru. I hope you'll like it."

  
When Haru starts unwrapping it, his eyes grow even wider than they had when he'd opened Nagisa's present. Rin finds himself feeling rather curious himself. He snaps picture after picture of Haru's shocked face while it travels back and forth between the present and Makoto's embarrassed grin.

  
"What is it, Haru-chan?" Nagisa shamelessly asks what they've all been thinking. "Can I see?"

  
"It's a monofin." Haru tells him, sounding a little out of breath. He's staring at Makoto in awe. Rin joins him, forgetting all about the camera in his hands for a while. "These are expensive, Makoto."

  
Makoto merely shrugs, scratching the back of his head self-consciously. "I haven't been visiting you and Rin as often as usual lately, so I used the money I'd otherwise have spent on the train here."

  
"Thank you, Makoto." Haru looks like he wants to hug the giant plastic fin to his chest.

  
"I hope the size and stiffness suits your swimming style." Makoto babbles on, clearly feeling a little overwhelmed by Haru's reaction. "There's straps you can adjust, though!"

  
"Really?!" Rin gasps, still staring at Makoto's flushed face. "Haru, I will do _anything you want_ if you'll let me try those too! If that's all right with you, Makoto?"

  
"Sure, Rin." Makoto laughs, clearly pleased with himself but too embarrassed to show it. "I chose the adjustable kind so you two'd be able to share it."

  
"Woah!" Nagisa pipes up, dissolving into helpless giggles when he meets Rin's glaring eyes. Rin already knows what's coming next. He walked right into it, after all. "Haru-chan sure is receiving a lot of sexual favours for his birthday this---!"

  
" _Nagisa-kun!_ " Rei practically shrieks. "You shouldn't embarrass them like that!"

  
"Hey, Rei-chan." Nagisa continues on as if Rei had never spoken at all. "What did you get Haru-chan? Does it have any _unintentional uses_ , too?"

  
Rin makes sure he gets a picture of Rei's comical face once he fully registers the meaning of Nagisa's words, busying himself with the camera so he doesn't have to meet Haru's heated gaze.

  
"Go on, Rei." Makoto chuckles. Rin shoots him a grateful look as he turns the camera on him. "I have to admit I'm getting curious now."

  
Rei retrieves his contribution to the 'Present Chair' and passes it to Haru. The gift consists of a long, thin black box with a purple ribbon wrapped around it and tied into a neat bow at the top. Haru carefully opens it, then he smiles as he turns it around to show off the contents to the curious eyes of his friends.

  
"Oh!" Nagisa gasps. "I've seen Rei-chan looking at an article about those online!"

  
"That's right," Rei nodded. "I read many reviews in order to find the ideal pair of goggles to give Haruka-senpai for his birthday. I paid extra attention to visibility and leakage in the water, as well as comfort. They are fully adjustable, and tests have shown that they show no signs of condensation or misting when worn. That, and they will also look beautiful on Haruka-senpai! I am certain they will suit his style and swimsuits perfectly."

  
Rin has to hand it to him, the goggles really do look very nice and they'll definitely match Haru's army of swimsuits. Rin is impressed (and a little jealous). He nearly forgets to take a picture.

  
"Thank you, Rei." Haru tells him as soon as Rei finished his proud speech. "I'll wear these from now on."

  
Rei nods solemnly, then turns to Rin. "I believe it's Rin-san's turn now."

  
Rin suddenly feels a little nervous. It's going to be hard to top all the wonderful presents Haru had already received. Impossible, even.

  
Ah well, it's too late to for a change of plans now. He motions for Makoto to pass Haru the last gift on the chair. It's very flat, and looks to be about A4-sized. Haru holds it curiously in his hands as he waits for Rin to take a picture.

  
"Happy birthday, Haru." Rin watches with bated breath as Haru peels back the wrapping paper. Underneath it is a boring, dark blue folder. "It's not a traditional gift, but..."

  
Haru glances at Rin before opening the folder and removing the two sheets of paper inside. The level of noise coming from their table falls noticeably. Even Nagisa has quieted down a little.

  
"Rin..." Haru starts, tearing his eyes away from the paper in his hands to meet Rin's uncertainly. "I don't understand."

  
"Ah," Rin mutters, breaking their eye contact to fidget with the edge of the table cloth instead. "I found someone who's willing to take over our apartment. I've already talked to the landlord and he agreed as long as there's someone next in line who can move in quickly. If we rent this place it'll shave off about five hours of commuting for you each week."

  
"Five hours?" Haru's voice doesn't give anything away and it's making Rin squirm uncomfortably in his seat.

  
"Yeah." Rin nods, still looking anywhere but at Haru. The table has fallen completely silent while everyone tries to piece the clues together without interrupting their conversation. "It's a few stops closer to your campus. Plus, we wouldn't have to take the train out to the pool all the time - we'd just walk there."

  
"Across the street."

  
Nagisa lets out an embarrassingly high pitched squeak at that, tugging the papers out of Haru's hands to show Rei and Makoto.

  
There's a handful of pictures of a very familiar community pool on one page: short course, indoors, heated, communal showers, with a small gym upstairs. The other page has pictures of the inside of an apartment on the same street as the pictured pool; there's a small kitchen and a sitting room, a bathroom with a shower and a spacious bedroom.

  
"One bedroom?" Makoto asks before he can stop himself. Rin can't blame him. "Is that all right?"

  
Rin shrugs. "It'd only be until graduation. Haru's parents have never shown any interest in visiting us before, but if they do... I guess I could stay with Sousuke for a while. It's not ideal, but this place is almost too good to be true."

  
"If anyone asks about the specs," Rei adds helpfully, peering over the papers. "You could always just tell a little white lie. Can you really afford this location, though?"

  
"Not _permanently_..." Rin hesitantly admits. "Just for the year or so until we know where we're going after graduation."

  
"Rin."

  
He can feel Haru's eyes on him, insistently boring holes into the side of his head. He forces himself to meet them. "D'you like it? We don't _have_ to do it, of course. It's a bit closer to your campus than mine, but it'll still save us both a lot of time since you keep insisting on swimming together and all."

  
"We could walk to the pool."

  
"I know!" Rin grins. "Not just any pool - _our pool!_ "

  
"You've already got a membership there, right?" Makoto beams at them, his smile is so bright and carefree that it nearly blinds Rin. "This is amazing, Rin."

  
"I thought so, too." Rin nods enthusiastically, then turns his gaze back towards Haru. "All we'd need to do to make it official is pay the deposit. I took care of everything else. We're lucky you've got such a girly name."

  
Rin doesn't become aware of how long Nagisa has been staring down at the pictures of the inside of their prospective new apartment until Haru pointedly brings up the one thing Rin hadn't considered: "We'll have to get an inflatable mattress or a sofa-bed, though. For Makoto."

  
Makoto predictably freaks out, insisting that he can find somewhere else to stay whenever he comes down to Tokyo. Rin knows Haru well enough by now to read his true intentions, though; that comment of his wasn't meant for _Makoto's_ benefit at all. Rin expects Haru will probably clear it up with Makoto privately later.

  
"Yeah," He agrees readily, playing along with Haru without a hint of shame. "I've already got my eye on one."

  
Nagisa comes back to life after that. "So, you and Rin-chan will be moving soon? _That's awesome, Haru-chan!_ "

  
The rest of the evening goes by without a hitch. Rei and Nagisa leave together, but not until after Nagisa has given Haru, Rin and Makoto a full body hug. On the way home, Makoto is clearly trying giving them a little space to themselves. Haru's faint smile doesn't leave his face all the way there.

  
Rin kisses his smiling lips as soon as they make it into the bedroom, pushing Haru towards the bed while kicking the door shut with the heel of his foot. They tumble onto the mattress in a mess of limbs and frantic kisses as they try to remove each other's clothes as quickly and quietly as possible under the warm safety of the covers, mindful of Makoto (probably not) sleeping (yet) in the next room.

  
"Rin," Haru whispers as Rin aligns their hips and slides their cocks together, all the while using his weight to press Haru down into the mattress. "I didn't thank you properly earlier."

  
"You could thank me now by hurrying up." Rin replies, shamelessly rutting into Haru. "I've been waiting for you to get you inside me all night."

  
Haru doesn't need to be told twice. He reaches for the box under the bed and fishes out the nearest bottle of lubricant. It's not Rin's favourite, but it'll do. "Condom?"

  
"No need." Rin grunts. "It's your birthday."

  
Haru laughs breathlessly, easily pressing two of his slicked fingers into Rin underneath the sheets. The angle is a bit weird and the stretch burns, but Rin likes it that way. "Can you stay quiet?"

  
"Can you?" Rin retorts, rolling his hips down into Haru's in a way he knows will make Haru's thighs quiver with the strain of holding back. Haru glares up at him, sliding his fingers deeper into Rin.

  
Rin groans impatiently as Haru takes his sweet time preparing him, reaching for the lube himself so he can speed things up by coating Haru's cock while Haru is distracted. Haru bucks up into his touch and before long they're both breathing heavily and panting each other's names.

  
"Ready?" Haru asks, placing both of his hands firmly on each side of Rin's buttocks. Rin lets Haru push him up a little, making himself useful by reaching down behind himself to hold Haru's cock in place so he can slowly lower himself on it. " _Rin_."

  
Rin closes his eyes and exhales shakily when the feeling of Haru's perfect cock deep inside of him threatens to overwhelm him for a moment. He leans down to kiss Haru while Haru's hands squeeze his ass, grabbing him and pulling him down even further until Rin is a quivering mess.

  
He groans helplessly when Haru starts arching his hips off of the bed, thrusting shallowly into Rin while he holds him in place. When Rin catches his bearings, he pulls back a little to sit up on Haru's lap properly. The sheets slide down his back when he begins riding Haru in earnest, but Rin doesn't care because the new angle is more than worth it.

  
The bed creaks loudly.

  
Haru's hands eventually leave his ass to run up and down his back. Rin clings to him almost desperately, moaning Haru's name repeatedly until Haru has to pull him down and muffle him by pressing their mouths together in a bruising kiss.

  
"Shhh..." Haru whispers against his lips. "Makoto will hear."

  
Rin isn't sure why that sends him over the egde, but it does. He comes in hot spurts all over Haru's chest and stomach. Haru holds him through it before carefully rolling them over and pulling the sheets back up over their sweaty bodies. Then he thrusts into Rin once, twice, maybe three times before he's coming himself, biting his own hand to keep himself from moaning Rin's name so loudly Makoto would have to be deaf not to hear it.

  
They fall asleep like that, with Haru still lying half on top of Rin. Rin's arms are wrapped tightly around him and he's got one knee hooked around Haru's hips. Rin will complain about the clean up and his stinging limbs in the morning, but for now he's warm and comfortable.

 

* * *

  
The next time Nagisa shows up with a duffle bag.

  
It's just after rush hour, and Haru's hair is still wet from the pool when he drags himself up from the tatami to get the door. Rin is making dinner (which means he's heating up two cups of ramen in the microwave because both of them have been too tired to cook properly all week).

  
There are no tears this time, but the set of Nagisa's shoulders is tense and resigned. Rin retreats to the kitchen as soon as the beep of the microwave gives him a viable excuse. He focuses on placing the steaming bowls on a tray and fetching two pairs of chopsticks from the drawer. When he's done with that, he prepares a pitcher of water and three empty glasses.

  
"Nagisa, what do you want for dinner?" Rin asks, reluctantly poking his head out of the kitchen. "We don't have much to offer at the moment, though."

  
"That's okay, Rin-chan." Nagisa's voice sounds so subdued; it's unsettling. "I already ate something on the way here. I'm sorry for showing up out of the blue."

  
"Nagisa's staying for the night." Haru explains, getting up to help Rin with the heavily loaded tray. "He's going back to Iwatobi in the morning."

  
"Oh." Rin says dumbly as he lets Haru take the tray for him and put it down on top of the kotatsu. "That's fine."

  
The three of them settle themselves around the table. Rin focuses on not asking Nagisa what happened, instead telling him all about Haru's affair with the pool across the street and how strict his coach has been that week.

  
"I think it's time for bed." Haru says quietly when Nagisa looks like he's going to fall asleep right there. "You can't sleep out here, Nagisa."

  
"C'mon, you little brat." Rin says fondly, pulling Nagisa up by his armpits and bodily dragging him into their bedroom. Nagisa easily lets himself be manhandled, nuzzling the back of his head into Rin's chest. "Oi! Are you listening to me?!"

  
They are still in the middle of moving in and haven't even finished unpacking all of their own stuff, so there hadn't been time to pick out a sofa-bed or buy an inflatable mattress like Haru had suggested a few weeks earlier; which unfortunately means there's nowhere else for Nagisa to sleep than on the bed with them.

  
"Goodnight, Haru-chan." Nagisa sleepily mumbles as Rin dumps him on the bed. "Rin-chan, too..."

  
Rin rolls Nagisa closer to the edge of the bed so he can sleep in the middle. Haru gives Rin and unreadable look as he crawls in after him. Rin wants to ask him what's on his mind, but he can't with Nagisa right there and already snoring softly; he settles for setting their alarm instead.

  
It's too cramped. Rin wakes up in the middle of the night because Nagisa has kicked the thin sheet covering them down to their ankles; it's just too hot with the three of them sharing a bed in the lingering late summer heat. He wants to get up and turn on the air-conditioning, but Nagisa is clinging to him like a limpet and Haru has an arm thrown over both of their hips.

  
The alarm goes off way too soon.

 

* * *

  
They don't hear from Nagisa during the week he's apparently staying at his parents' place in Iwatobi. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Rin knows Nagisa can't plan to stay there for long. Isn't he missing important classes already? Isn't he missing Rei...?

  
But training is getting tougher by the week as they prepare for the upcoming events and Rin quite honestly has his hands full with his own relationship troubles; as the tension between their respective swim clubs rises, so does the tension between Haru and Rin. It's not the good kind of tension, either.

  
Haru doesn't like the way their coaches and captains are pitting him and Rin against each other. Rin understands how he feels, really, he does, but there's nothing to be done about it now. They'd chosen to follow separate paths until they merge at the Olympics. It's too late for regrets; Haru will just have to suck it up for now.

  
They'll settle it in the water like they always have.

 

* * *

  
The following months pass by in a rush of swimming (exhausting), sex (equally exhausting) and studying (even more exhausting). They don't have time for anything else.

  
Haru and Rin don't see Nagisa in person again until their visit to Iwatobi for Makoto's birthday late November. Nagisa looks as happy as usual, full of blinding smiles and laughter. Makoto quite possibly looks even happier, occasionally throwing shy glances at Gou that Rin pretends not to notice. Rei is just as much of a dork as he always is. Rin is pleased to see him holding Nagisa's hand more often than not.

  
Rin watches Haru relax for the first time in weeks and feels something warm and comforting settle somewhere deep in his chest. Haru's smile lingers all the way back to Tokyo. Rin once again finds himself unable to tear his eyes away.

  
This it _it_ , he thinks, squeezing Haru's hand where it's keeping Rin's warm in the pocket of his coat. They're sitting so close together on the train that the elderly lady across from them has pointedly raised her newspaper to block them from her vision. If Haru has noticed her, he doesn't let on.

  
Rin has never been happier than he is right now.

 

* * *

  
Which is, of course, exactly when everything goes wrong.

  
The fourth time Nagisa shows up at their door, Rin barely recognises him; his blond curls are plastered to his forehead and his clothes are soaked completely through. Rin doesn't doubt there are hot tears mingling with the rain drops clinging to Nagisa's cheeks. He's pulling Nagisa close to his chest before either of them can say anything.

  
"Rin?" Haru calls from the kitchen, where he's preparing dinner. "Who is it?"

  
"I can't do it anymore, Rin-chan!" Nagisa is sobbing into his chest, clinging tightly to the back of Rin's shirt and getting both of them wet. "I just _can't!_ "

  
"It's OK, I've got you." Rin attempts to calm Nagisa down, ignoring Haru for now. "Let it all out."

  
"Rin?" Haru's voice calls again, a little more insistently this time. "Did you get the door? _Oi, Rin!_ "

  
"Calm your tits, Haru!" Rin grumbles, pulling Nagisa inside and closing the door before the neighbours complain about the noise. "It's Nagisa."

  
"Nagisa?" The unspoken _'Then why is it so quiet?'_ hangs heavily in the air. "Hold on. I need to turn the gas off."

  
"Why didn't you bring an umbrella, you idiot?" Rin mutters fondly as he starts peeling off Nagisa's sopping wet coat and scarf and guides their distraught guest to the sofa. "You're shivering."

  
Haru appears at just the right moment to take Nagisa's coat from Rin. He moves into the bathroom to hang it up in the shower stall to dry next to their swimsuits; content to leave the fussing over a wet and cold Nagisa to Rin for now. Rin smiles gratefully at him when Haru reappears with two of their biggest towels.

  
"Haru-chan!" Nagisa whispers hoarsely as he tries to regain some control over his breathing. "I'm sorry for bothering you and Rin-chan...!"

  
"Don't worry about that for now." Rin tells him firmly. "We need to get you out of those clothes before you catch your death."

  
They swap places as soon as Haru puts down the towels on the armrest of the sofa. This time, it's Haru's turn to help Nagisa peel off his wet clothes while Rin goes to find him something dry to wear. Rin quickly changes out of his own uncomfortably clammy shirt while he's at it.

  
By the time Rin walks back in carrying a pile of old sleeping clothes, Nagisa has already been expertly wrapped into the towels like a burrito. Rin arches an amused eyebrow at the sight of Haru squished behind Nagisa on the couch, arms wrapped loosely around him as he rests his chin on Nagisa's shoulder. He smiles tiredly at Rin when he spots him coming in and pats the empty space next to him in a clear invitation for Rin to join them.

  
Rin obliges him, albeit a little reluctantly. Nagisa's body wracking sobs have thankfully faded into soft little sniffles by now. Rin knows that's his cue. "Look," He starts, before taking a deep breath and continuing. "We've _got_ to talk about this at some point."

  
 "Tomorrow." Haru whispers into the juncture of Nagisas neck's and shoulder. "Rin doesn't mean right now."

  
"You can stay here as long as you need." Rin adds quickly when Nagisa visibly tenses up in Haru's arms. "Whatever this is about, it'll stay between us - no questions asked."

  
"But we can't keep ignoring this, Nagisa." Haru insists, smiling proudly at Rin. "We're really concerned about you."

  
"You won't tell Rei-chan I'm here?" Nagisa asks quietly, turning his head to look at Rin. "I don't want to see him right now."

  
Rin sucks in a breath, mulling it over for a while before replying: "We can't promise you that, Nagisa. I _can_ tell him to give you some space, but I'll have to answer him honestly if he asks where you are. You don't want him to be worried sick about you, do you?"

  
"Rin is right." Haru says quietly. "You should let Rei know you're safe, or he'll be frantic with worry. It's pouring outside..."

  
"AH!" Nagisa jerks in Haru's arms. "No, no, _no_... I don't want Rei-chan to worry!"

  
"All right, all right!" Rin holds up his arms to placate him. "D'you want me to text Rei? I'll tell him you're staying with us for a while - nothing more."

  
Nagisa nods gratefully. Rin sighs and gets up from the sofa to fetch his phone from his bag in the genkan. While he's leaving he overhears Haru tell Nagisa to get up and put some clothes on so he can help Haru with dinner.

  
Running a hand through his hair, Rin tries to figure out how to word his message to Rei. It feels like hours until he finally settles on:

  
_**Nagisa is going to stay with us indefinitely. Can I come by after practise tomorrow to pick up some of his clothes and school books? - Rin** _

  
After a beat, he sends another one.

  
**_Are you OK? - Rin_ **

  
His phone rings before he can even think about putting it away again. Rin sighs loudly, pinching the bridge of his nose, before answering the call. "Matsuoka here."

  
"Rin-san!" Rei's voice sounds an octave higher than it usually does. Rin winces. "Is Nagisa-kun all right?!"

  
"He's in one piece." Rin assures him. "That's all I can tell you right now. How are you holding up?"

  
There's a long pause. Rin waits him out. "Better now I know where Nagisa-kun is. Thank you for contacting me, Rin-san."

  
"You're our friend too, Rei." Rin reminds him quietly. "Look, it's none of my business..."

  
"I'd appreciate your advice. Please continue."

  
"I don't know what happened." Rin sighs, choosing his next words carefully. "But whatever it is, I think you should give him some space right now. Let him contact you, you know?"

  
There's another long pause. "Very well."

  
 "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

  
"You don't have to come all the way out here, Rin-san. I'll bring everything Nagisa-kun needs to class with me tomorrow. He _is_ coming to class, isn't he?"

  
Rin honestly doesn't know the answer to that. "Can he afford to miss it?"

  
"No."

  
Rin laughs in spite of himself. "I'll make sure he's there."

  
"Rin-san..."

  
"Yes?"

  
"Please take care of Nagisa-kun. It's not his fault things are the way they are between us right now."

  
"Will do." Rin sighs, sitting down on the sofa and turning on the TV. He doesn't want Nagisa to overhear this conversation when Nagisa's only just calmed down a little. "For what it's worth, it doesn't sound like it's yours either."

  
"Sometimes these kind of things are nobody's fault."

  
"Isn't that the truth." Rin mutters, leaning back into the pillows. "We'll take care of Nagisa, Rei. Just don't forget to take care of yourself."

  
"Good night, Rin-san."

  
Rin suddenly feels very worn out. He closes his eyes and lets the noise from the TV lull him into an exhausted daze.

 

* * *

  
When Rin wakes up, Haru's already removing the pillows Rin isn't occupying from their sleeper-sofa, glancing meaningfully between a blarily blinking Rin and the kotatsu. Rin takes the hint, tiredly getting up to push the wooden table aside so that Haru can pull out the bottom part of the sofa to convert it into a bed for Nagisa.

  
"Are you hungry?" Haru asks him, throwing him a worried glance. "Nagisa and I already ate a while ago."

  
"Huh?" Rin grunts, rubbing at his eyes. "I was out for that long?"

  
"You looked like you needed it."

  
"I guess I did..." Rin's still trying to reboot his exhausted brain while he watches Haru prepare Nagisa's bed. "D'you need help?"

  
"No." Haru shakes his head, replacing the pillows and covering them with a sheet and a heavy spread. "Go to bed, Rin. I'll be there in a minute."

  
"Where's Nagisa?" Rin asks, lingering in the doorway to appreciate the way Haru's ass looks while he's bending over. "Tell him not to sneak out early this time."

  
Haru snorts. "He's in the bathroom."

  
Rin can't come up with any more excuses to ogle Haru's ass. Defeated by his own weariness, he retreats to the bedroom where he falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow. He doesn't stir until Haru quietly crawls underneath the covers to curl up next to him.

  
"Hmm... Can you set the alarm?" Rin whispers, slinging an arm around Haru's waist. "I forgot."

  
"It's not as if you need it." Haru retorts, but he reaches over Rin to do as he's told without further complaint. "Go back to sleep."

  
Rin tries, he really does. They're quiet for a while until Rin can't hold back the question any longer. "D'you think they'll get back together this time?"

  
"I don't know." Haru admits quietly. "Probably."

  
"They _love_ each other."

  
Haru sighs. "Sometimes that's not enough."

  
Rin listens to Haru's steady heartbeat for a long time before whispering reluctantly: "Could that happen to us? If your parents found out, I mean."

  
"No." Haru answers. Rin's a little surprised he doesn't even have to think about it. "If they don't approve it wouldn't change a thing."

  
"Are you sure, Haru?" Rin insists, cursing himself for bringing these awful things up when they're both far too tired to discuss them properly. It's never a good idea for them to talk when they're both in a foul mood. "They're your _parents_."

  
Haru clearly hesitates before answering this time. Rin holds his breath, forcing himself not to take his words back.

  
"They're important to me." Haru starts carefully. "But not to the degree your mother and father are to you."

  
Rin mulls it over. He doesn't quite understand how Haru can feel that way about his own parents, but then again, it makes sense in a very Haru-like way. They're mostly absent from Haru's life, as proven by the fact that Rin has yet to meet them face-to-face. He is simply known as "the room-mate" or "that friend from the swim club" to them; _Matsuoka-kun_ and nothing more.

  
Haru has offered to tell them about their relationship a couple of times, even though he can't guarantee they'll react favourably, but Rin doesn't want to cause any discord between Haru and his parents. They can open that can of worms after graduation. Or preferably after they win gold at the Olympics, if Rin is being entirely honest with himself.

  
Rin's mother and Gou know about them; they approve heartily, even. That's more than enough for both of them for now.

  
He sighs, pulling Haru closer to him, and closes his eyes. He's almost drifting off when he hears Haru whisper something into his shoulder: "You're more important to me, Rin."

  
Despite the unpleasant situation waiting to be dealt with in the morning, both of them fall asleep with a smile on their face.


End file.
